Revisited (Redemption Series) (27 page)

Lily darted around the lab, gathering all she would need for the operation.

    She couldn’t say she was surprised Gideon had found a way to weasel into Becca’s life again. Pain struck Lily’s core that she would have to look into the face of a man she’d once loved and use one of her deadliest powers against him. 

Ian lay on a solid counter they would use as an operating table. Lily covered his arm with a surgical drape in a vague attempt to create a sterile field. Even with the healing power of two angels, Lily didn’t want to risk any kind of infection. She put on the paper gown that sent more than a few crackling noises into the air. Lily slipped her hands into some blue surgical gloves, and with a deep breath, pronounced everything ready.

“There’s no sign of Jefferson or Renee.” Ryan entered the lab with Abe on his heels.

“It’s okay. Let’s just get this over with.” Ian turned his head and looked at Lily. He silently pled with her to do what she had to, no matter the cost.

Ryan nodded to Lily and gave her a soft smile.

Lily double-checked the instruments on the tray: several pairs of scissors, forceps of different sizes, scalpels, and the bone saw. The memory of using only a pocketknife on a wounded soldier in the rice paddies of Vietnam flashed through her mind. She had saved him, and now she prayed with each passing second that Ian would survive, too. Taking a deep breath, she attempted to gain all the composure she could. There wasn’t a second to waste once she began.

Becca caught her eye as she stood at the side of the table and held Ian’s other hand. Sam stood at Ian’s head, ready for the moment he would be needed. Becca knew Abe and Ryan were in full protection mode just inside the door. It was time.

“I won’t lie, this is going to hurt, but I’ll do my best.”

“It’s okay.” Ian looked deep into her eyes. “I trust you.”

Lily wasn’t sure he should, but she was all he had. She hoped she was enough. She took hold of his wrist with her left hand, while holding his elbow with her right. Heat moved through her fingertips, up her arms, across her shoulders, and settled in her chest.

“It tickles.” Ian laughed a little as the numbing pinpricks played with each nerve ending in his arm.

“Let me know when it’s completely numb.”

Ian nodded just as the door banged open and a blood-curdling screech ripped through the air. 

“You will not do this!” The words came out of Jefferson’s mouth, but there was no doubt it was Gideon who was controlling him.

“Don’t hurt him,” Ryan whispered to Abe. “Remember, it’s Gideon we want.”

Abe nodded, then took a protective stance between Gideon and the rest of the room.

“You’ve fucked up our lives enough. I’m not going to stand by and let you destroy everything I love,” Abe seethed with a veracity none had witnessed before. He was not about to let Gideon get Becca again. He would do anything to protect her, anything. 

The rest of the room disappeared from his sight. Abe’s one and only purpose was clear. Hold Gideon back until Lily was able to amputate the arm. Abe’s determination made him lunge toward Gideon. The measured movements of both of them to defend what they believed to be their own were certain to bring about a horrific conclusion.

Becca wanted to join the fight and try out her new powers, but her feet were suddenly made of lead. All she could do was stare in horror at the scene before her. 

As soon as Abe’s muscles bunched and readied to strike, Gideon moved his hand to the back pocket of his jeans. He grasped the handle of the butcher knife he had stashed there. When Abe was in range, Gideon pulled the knife out and plunged it into Abe’s chest, piercing his heart. To further his torture, Gideon began to twist the knife and delighted in the fact his hands were covered with Abe’s life’s blood.

“Just do it!” Ian shouted to Lily, who like Becca had frozen in place.

Lily grabbed the bone saw and powered it up a millisecond later. The saw met flesh, muscle, and then bone. A splatter of blood drenched her face and torso. No matter how good it smelled and tasted on her opened lips, Lily continued undeterred until Ian’s arm dropped to the floor.

“No!” Gideon screamed so loud the walls of the lab began to vibrate. He ripped the knife from Abe’s chest before falling to the floor and writhing in agony.

Sam grabbed what remained of Ian’s arm in an attempt to begin the healing process. Becca came out of her trance and rushed to Abe’s side. Lily and Ryan held Jefferson’s body to the floor as the pain surged through him.

Agonizing pain spread through the room like a thick blanket. As Abe, Gideon, Ian, and Jefferson felt their ultimate death on the horizon, they each faced it in their own way.

Gideon retched and screamed when he felt the pieces of himself ripping from Jefferson’s body. He tried to form a coherent thought as he fought to keep his hold on Jefferson. As the last tether released, Gideon flew down in the direction he wasn’t ready to go back toward, only to hit something on the way.

Becca’s hands pressed desperately on Abe’s wound as she began her attempt to heal him.

“I love you,” Abe whispered weakly. He knew what was happening. It had never happened to him before, but he couldn’t deny his time as Abe North was at its end.

“Don’t say it like that!” Becca screamed through her tears as she put her entire body weight on his wound.

“Goodbye.” Abe took his last breath and slowly closed his eyes.

“No!” Terror pulsated through every vein in her body as her past lover slipped away. “I needed more time!”

Lily was at her daughter’s side in seconds. She pulled Becca over to Ian’s side to help with the one man who could still be saved.

“Here.” Sam grabbed Becca’s hand and placed it on Ian’s torn flesh. The healing had begun, but the bone had not grown back. “Concentrate, my girl. We can do this together.”

Becca pushed all other thoughts from her mind and tried to find that place of calm. It seeped into her pores as the adrenaline waned. Becca heard a crack, then a scream, but she couldn’t bring herself to open her eyes. Her fingers began to tingle as flesh built beneath them.

“That’s it,” Sam encouraged as he moved Becca’s hand down the arm as it grew. “I can see the fingers forming.”

Becca could no longer keep her eyes shut. The sight of the bones of Ian’s new fingers while they wrapped in tendons, veins, and flesh was not the vision of horror she had expected. It was breathtakingly beautiful.

As the last fingernail grew into place, Sam gave a heavy sigh of relief. “Ian, can you wiggle your fingers?”

Sam looked at Ian’s face when he got no response. He moved his hand and went straight to Ian’s new pulse point. A steady beat played beneath his fingertips. “He must have passed out.”

Lily stood behind Becca and gave her shoulders a comforting rub. “I wish we had some painkillers. I’m sure he’ll still be quite achy when he wakes up.”

“We might need some for Jefferson as well.” Ryan laid Jefferson down on the bed a few feet away.

Lily checked Jefferson over and saw the broken capillaries across the surface of his skin. There was some slight bruising around his mouth and eyes, but no swelling.

Sam went to Jefferson’s side and ripped open his shirt before placing his hands on his bare chest. He worked to heal the damage that Gideon’s fight had inflicted on his friend.

Becca couldn’t help but take another look at Abe’s bloodied body. She turned back to Ian and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. The soles of Becca’s shoes squeaked as she walked through the blood coating the floor beneath her. Her knees hit the floor hard, but she barely registered the pain.

Abe’s hand already had a slight chill to it when she grasped it. She brought it to her lips, kissed his palm, and whispered, “I love you, too.”

Ryan felt the pull of his duties as an angel of death suddenly come to him. He came and knelt at Becca’s side.

Becca looked up at him and realized he had a job to do. Her nod and hard swallow let Ryan know she was ready to let go of her former lover. Ryan placed a hand on Abe’s shoulder and closed his eyes. The room was cold and silent for what Becca thought could have been the longest moment of her life.

Ryan opened his eyes and furrowed his brow. “Abe’s not there.”

“What do you mean he’s not there?” Becca’s own confusion coursed through her.

“I mean, Abe’s not there. His essence is gone; moved somewhere else.” Ryan fell back and sat on his haunches while he ran his hand through his hair.

“Where?”

Ryan mumbled intelligibly for a few seconds before grumbling. “Peter.”

“What does he have to do with this?” Becca was at a complete loss.

“This has his name written all over it.”

Ryan met Becca’s stare in that second; she realized he was right.

They both turned their heads when a low groan permeated the air.

“Ian,” Becca whispered as she got to her feet and walked to his side.

Ian let his new fingers slip through hers as he opened his eyes. “Hey.”

“Hey.” Becca laughed softly at the casual greeting.

“You look like hell, Becca.”

She looked over her bloodstained clothes and skin with trepidation. “At least none of it’s mine.”

Ian coughed and turned his head to the side to clear his throat.

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Ryan threw up his arms in frustration then rubbed his palms over his face.

“What?” Lily asked as she placed her hand on his forearm.

“Abe.” Ryan flicked his hand toward Ian. “He’s in there.”

“I can’t . . .” Becca looked down at Ian. His expression changed from one of relief to confusion.

Ian’s eyes closed and his lids flickered for a moment before he opened them again. “Ryan’s right.” Ian’s voice was coarse and raw as the whispered words escaped.

“That’s an unexpected development,” Sam said, joining Becca at Ian’s bedside.

Becca looked at Lily and Ryan before she turned to Sam for an answer. “What do we do now?”

Sam opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out because he had no idea what to say.

“We find Peter,” Ryan grumbled.

Becca turned back to look down at Ian. “Can you both hear me?”

Ian nodded.

“We’ll figure this out. I promise.”

Ian smiled and took in a deep breath. “And you always keep your promises.”

“Damn straight.” She smiled before pressing a soft kiss to Ian’s lips and was rewarded with a feeling of complete and utter calm. “I could definitely get used to this,” she whispered so low, no one else seemed to hear.

Nathaniel, Valentina, and Mr. Ore silently traveled back through the castle while they hunted for Filipp. A search of every dark corner and every decaying room left them with nothing. They made it to the elevator and descended down to where Nathaniel knew they would face the second aspect of his vision.

They heard voices in the hallway leading led to the laboratory. As they followed the echoes, Ore knew his moment of truth had arrived.

Nathaniel helped Valentina through the destroyed threshold, the door barely hanging by its hinges. The two surveyed the carnage that had swept the room. Valentina’s stomach turned at the sight and smell of the blood-soaked room.

Lily sped over and took both Nathaniel and Valentina in a tight embrace. “Thank God you’re all right.”

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Nathaniel uttered in short breaths. “Ease up a little, will ya?”

“Sorry.” Lily stepped back, but held one of their hands in each of hers. “What happened?”

“We broke the curse, but Filipp ran like the little rat he is. Debir and Liam went after him. We’ve searched the castle, but came up with nothing,” Valentina explained as she wished she had cast another spell on Filipp to transform him into an actual rat.

“How did you break the curse? I thought you were convinced it would be too dangerous?” Lily looked down at Valentina’s belly for any signs of distress.

“I lent her a hand.” Mr. Ore finally made his presence known as he walked through the door. “Hello, Lily.”

Lily dropped both Nathaniel and Valentina’s hands and moved to look at the man behind them. The eyes were the same. The hair was identical. The bone structure was remarkable. It was him. “Lior?” she whispered, taking a tentative step.

The rest of the room stood in silence as they waited for the impending revelation.

“Yes.” Ore softened his stance as she smiled.

Lily took another step, then another, until she was right in front of the man she hadn’t laid eyes on in over seventy years.

“It took you long enough. We were supposed to meet at that little dive outside of London, in what . . .” She looked down at her nonexistent watch. “Oh, 1943?”

“I believe that is what we had agreed upon.” Ore laughed. “I guess I owe you a pint or two.” He tilted his head to the side and grinned.

“I’d say an entire brewery by now.” Lily gathered him into her arms. The mentor, the grandfather, the vampire who had helped her understand and survive the existence thrust upon them. “Let’s move this to the library. I have a feeling this is going to be a very long story.”